Jan. 6 Rioter Sentenced Life for FBI Kill List Plot in Tennessee

Edward Kelley, a Marine Corps veteran and early January 6 rioter, was sentenced to life in prison for plotting to murder FBI agents and other federal employees investigating his role in the Capitol attack. While awaiting trial for his involvement in the January 6 riot, Kelley collaborated with a co-conspirator to target law enforcement officers by developing a "kill list" and planning to attack the Knoxville FBI Field Office with car bombs and incendiary drones, as well as intending to assassinate agents at their homes and public places. Despite being pardoned by President Donald Trump for his Capitol riot convictions, the pardon did not cover the later violent acts Kelley committed in Tennessee. Prosecutors argued that his conspiracy and murder plots were separate from the January 6 events, occurring more than a year later and over 500 miles away, a position upheld by U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan. Kelley showed no remorse, maintaining his plans were "justified" and "patriotic," leading to his conviction on multiple charges including conspiracy to murder federal employees and solicitation to commit violent acts. The case highlights the limits of presidential pardons and ongoing federal efforts to hold January 6 defendants accountable for subsequent criminal conduct.